Luna Graced
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KristiferAnn Thorne
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đ„16,5M
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46
1: Chapter 1
ABIGAIL
âWeâre matesâŠmates, Carson! How could you do this?â
Tears ran down Abbyâs face as she looked at the man she loved. Who sheâd thought loved her.
She could hear her fatherâs furious growls, so she glanced over at where her parents stood beside Alpha Edward. Both of them looked livid, about to shift. The alpha just looked stunned.
âIâm sorry, Abby, this was a mistake,â Carson mumbled, his voice barely audible in the large space.
She turned back to her mate.
âA mistake?â
Her stomach clenched at the memory of them marking each other. âItâs only been weeks since you marked me! And I felt it, Carsonâthe mate bondâI felt all of it after that.â
How could this be happening? Sheâd imagined having pups with this man, standing beside him through everything life could throw at them.
A mated pair was supposed to be together forever, but she and Carson hadnât even moved in together yet. He said he wanted to wait until after they exchanged the mateâs pact at the final ceremonyâŠ
But heâd been betraying her.
She clutched at her chest, and another fierce growl ripped through the meeting room.
âStand down, Michael!â Alpha Edward said firmly to her father, his fiercest warrior. âI understand youâre not happy with my pup. Iâm not either.â
âWhere is Luna Hazel?â Abbyâs mother asked, standing tall and proud, her eyes flashing from human to wolf.
Her mom was a fierce warrior in her own right, and she wanted to protect her pup.
Alpha Edward sighed. âSheâll be here momentarily, Fiona.â
Abby sniffed the air, and when she picked up the scent of the wolf her mate had been with, savage growls erupted from her throat.
Her parents moved closer to her. She could feel their concern, but her grief and her fury were too great for her to hold her wolf inside for anotherâ
âAbigail,â Edward commanded, pushing his alpha power over her. âYou will rein your wolf in immediately.â
Her father stood straighter and showed his teeth as the door began to open. And when Luna Hazel entered with Beta Jacob, his mate, and their pup, he went into a fighting stance.
Alpha Edward rumbled his chest in warning. âI will not have my beta and top warrior fighting because of their female pups.â
Luna Hazel took her place to the alphaâs left and folded her hands together.
Even through her own distress, Abby could tell Carsonâs mom was devastated. Luna Hazel had been training her for seven years, ever since sheâd turned fourteen and they all realized she was Carsonâs mate.
But Abby knew that as lunaâthe position she would have taken over when Edward and Hazel retiredâHazel had to stand strong for her family and for her pack. She didnât even look over at her son.
A son whose mistake had brought shame to them all. Abby felt her eyes flash as fury rose in her throat.
Alpha Edward cleared his throat. âBeta Jacob. TabithaâŠâ
She noticed he didnât even bother addressing their disgrace of a daughter.
âThank you for coming.â
The beta and his mate both bowed, showing their necks out of respect to their alpha. So did Taylor, who kept her eyes on the floor.
As well she should. Growling, Abby tore her eyes away from her rival, trying to control her rage.
âAlpha, Luna, CarsonâŠâ Beta Jacob bowed again. âWarriors Michael and Fiona. Abigail.â He gave them a curt nod.
Alpha Edward suddenly sniffed the air, his brow furrowing. When his eyes started to glow, everyone in the room lowered their heads.
âYour pup is pregnant,â he announced to Beta Jacob.
Pregnant?
A roar tore from Abbyâs throat as she lost control and began to shift, her wolfâs coal-black fur sprouting from her skin. The rage in her veins set her on fireâshe needed to kill the threat!
She leaped toward Taylor, claws extended.
ALPHA EDWARD
Edward grabbed Abby by the scruff of the neck, halting her in midair.
Still only half shifted, she writhed and fought in his grip, her dark green eyes glowing and her muzzle extended. Saliva dripped onto the floor as she snapped her jaws.
âCarson!â he roared. âRemove Taylor and your unborn pup. Now!â
His son scooped Taylor up and ran out of the room with her.
Jacob was crouched, ready to spring, and Michael and Fiona had both adopted the same warrior stance. He felt Abbyâs body ripple in his grasp.
âStand down, everyone!â He projected his alpha power across the room, then gently put Abby down.
She curled into a ball on the floor, sobbing, and mournful howls spread across the pack lands as the members of Pack Oru felt her searing grief. His own chest burned, and he could feel Hazelâs pain as well.
âAbby, sweetheart, my deepest apologies. You know I think of you as my own.â His sorrow washed over the room and through the pack.
âMy deepest apologies to you as well, Warriors Michael and Fiona.â He bowed his head toward them, a rare sign of the utmost respect. Alphas didnât bow to others.
âI have the right to challenge your pup,â Michael growled. âHeâs gone against the laws of the Moon Goddess and this pack!â
âHe is my son, Michael, and he has a pup coming. I canât sanction this.â Edward turned toward the beta and his mate.
âJacob, TabbyâŠIâm sure you can appreciate how devastating this is. I assume that your pup knew that Carson was mated and marked?â He curled his lips back, baring his teeth, and they both bowed their heads.
âYes, Alpha,â Jacob answered.
âDid you not raise her with pack values?â
His beta looked up, bristling at Edwardâs swipe at their parenting. âPerhaps itâs your son who should be answering questions. Heâs been seeing Taylor for over a year now!
âAnd he informed both myself and my mate that he was going to reject Abigail when it came time for the mateâs pact ceremony.â
âHe what?â Edward could feel his anger rocket through the entire pack; older members recoiled, and younger pups started to cry.
âI donât wish to bring any more harm to Abigail by repeating his words,â Jacob said stiffly, his eyes flashing.
âAlpha Edward,â Fiona cut in. âIâm taking my daughter home. I donât want her subjected to any more talk about thisâŠabomination.â
She didnât wait for permission, just helped Abby to stand and led her from the room. The sound of distant howls followed themâthe pack was mourning the loss of their future luna.
âSpeak! Now!â His alpha power caused the remaining adults to bow and whimper.
But Jacobâs voice rasped with anger. âCarson may have been mated to Abigail, but heâs never had any feelings for her. And heâs had feelings for Taylor for many moons.
âHe was trying to do what was right by the Moon Goddess, but he knew in his heart he didnât love Abby the way he does Taylor.â
Edward sat down hard in his chair. No feelings? Heâd never heard of anything like this before.
âEdward, we must do something,â Hazel finally said, holding his gaze. âCarson must reject her, for her own sanity and his.â
âI donât care about your filthy pupâs sanity!â Michael roared. âMy pup, my daughter has been shredded at the hands of your son! Did you teach him pack values? Did you teach him the value of a mate bond?
âAbbyâs loved him since before she knew they were meant to be mates. We all saw it. We knew they were mates before they did!â
Considering the circumstances, Edward let his warriorâs disrespect slide. âI donât understand it either, my friend.â He shook his head. âBut I am sorry, brother.â
Michael fell into a chair. âMy pup, Edward. The future luna of this pack. Sheâs dying from heartbreak.â
Edward shook his head. Even if he forced Carson to live with Abby and honor the vows heâd made when he marked her, his son could never undo his betrayal. The shame heâd brought on the pack would never go away.
And then there was the pup. It had alpha blood and would be in line to take over Pack Oru, even if its mother would never be luna. This was a complete mess, and all of it was Carsonâs fault.
âMy mate is right,â he said hoarsely. âShe needs to reject him, and he needs to reject her.â
âItâll kill her, Edward!â Michael cried. âAnd her heat is starting!â
Edward sighed wearily. âIâm so sorry, Michael. But having a rejected wolf in heat in the pack will cause all-out war between the unmated males. We have to put her in a cell. Him too. And weâll have to sedate them both during her heat.â
âShe has a mate! She shouldnât have to go through the pain! Has she not suffered enough at the hands of your son?â
He growled at his warriorâs tone. âThereâs nothing else to be done.â
âThenâif Iâm unable to challenge himâI want him to be fully conscious while locked up.â Michaelâs lips curled back in a snarl. âHe deserves to feel every second of the pain.â
âEdward!â Hazel gasped. âWe canât do that! Heâll destroy everything and everyone to get to her.â
