Chapter 20
Chapter 20
THIRD PERSON’S POV
The instant Francis and Kayden crossed into Moonlight Pack territory, they could feel the weight of unfamiliar gazes on them. They were strangers here, and every corner of the territory pulsed with a force that was both welcoming and intimidating. But nothing deterred them. They prowled the area, their wolves on edge, noses sharp, senses alert, searching for any trace of Malinda. She couldn’t have gone far. She couldn’t have left them. Not like this.
Just when doubt began gnawing at their minds, they saw her. Malinda was strolling across a clearing, laughter sparkling in her eyes as she walked alongside a tall, dark-
haired man with an aura that was unmistakably Alpha. The light in her face. was something neither Francis nor Kayden had ever seen before–a kind of softness that made her seem…different. But their
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surprise quickly morphed into something darker.
“That‘ s her,” Kayden muttered, his voice thick with disbelief. “But…that man, he’s not her family. And where’s the Mateship Ceremony?”
Francis‘ s eyes narrowed, and a growl rumbled from his chest. “She‘ s bonded,” he whispered, almost choking on the words. He could smell it–the unmistakable scent of a newly mated pair, the tang of two wolves joined under the moon. Malinda hadn’t just left the pack. She‘ d mated with another Alpha.
“What the hell is she thinking?” Kayden growled, the betrayal like ice through his veins. Without another thought, they both strode forward, the anger simmering, unchecked.
“Malinda!” Francis‘ s voice was sharp, raw with confusion and hurt. Malinda turned, her expression shifting as she recognized them. Her eyes held a calm
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they hadn’t expected, and it only stoked the fire of their resentment.
“Francis. Kayden,” she greeted, her voice steady as she faced them. “What are you doing here?”
Kayden scoffed, disbelief twisting his face.
“What are we doing here? Are you serious? You disappeared, Malinda! No word, no explanation, and this is what we find? You‘ re here, mated to…him?”
The man beside Malinda–Damon, though they didn’t know it–watched them silently, his gaze as dark and intense as a storm. Kayden and Francis‘ s attention was solely on Malinda, but Damon’s protective energy filled the air, and Malinda felt it, like a steady pulse beside her own.
“I didn’t owe you an explanation,” she replied coolly, folding her arms over her chest. “My life isn’t bound to yours. I made my choice. You had no right to follow me here.”
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“No right?” Francis echoed, his face a mask of fury. “You think we’d let you just walk away like that? That we wouldn’t come after you to find out why? We thought —” He stopped himself, glancing at Kayden, who looked equally torn between anger and hurt. “We thought we meant more to you than this.”
Malinda’s eyes remained cold and her
tone remained firm. “You did. You both meant everything to me once. But things changed the moment Sharon arrived, didn’t they?”
Francis clenched his fists, his voice nearly a snarl. “So, what, this is revenge? You‘ re trying to make us jealous by throwing yourself at some random Alpha?”
Damon‘ s expression shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing, but Malinda sent him a quick, reassuring look through their bond. I’ve got this. Let me handle them. Reluctantly, Damon took a step back, though every fiber in his body rebelled
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against the idea of watching his mate get confronted like this. Still, he respected her decision and hung back, but only just.
“I don’t need to make anyone jealous,‘ Malinda replied. “I left to find stability, and I found it.” She lifted her chin. “I’m
mated now. I’m with someone who values
me.”
Kayden‘ s eyes flashed, his voice
darkening. “Oh, so now we didn’t value you?”
“Did you?” Malinda‘ s gaze was sharp as steel. “From the moment Sharon arrived, you two acted like I barely existed. Like all the years we spent together were nothing. So, yes, I moved on. I found someone who would never make me feel like an afterthought.
Francis shook his head, bitterness clouding his features. “This isn‘ t about Sharon. You just wanted out. Fine. But don’t pretend you did it because we didn’t care.”
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Malinda’s laugh was short and without. humor. “Always? Only when it was convenient for you.” She shot a quick look. toward Damon, whose quiet strength filled her with a renewed sense of calm.
But Kayden was unmoved. He scoffed, a mocking smile twisting his lips. “You‘ re mated to this guy, huh? Some random Alpha?” He shook his head. “And you think he’ll give you what we couldn’t? It’s pathetic.”
Damon, despite himself, stepped forward, his patience finally fraying. “You don’t know a thing about her. And you don’t know a thing about me.”
The authority in his voice sent a tremor through Kayden and Francis, though they refused to back down. Francis‘ s jaw tightened, and he took a step forward, squaring off with Damon. “You think you‘ re good enough for her?” he challenged. “We’ve known her our whole lives. And you–what are you to
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