Chapter 206
Claire’s POV
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I was dragged out of the trunk roughly by my arms, then shoved down into the dirt at Daphne’s feet.
Quickly, I glanced around, but I didn’t really recognize where I was. A forest, but I had no idea which one. Tents were set up here and there and people I didn’t know milled about. This must have been the rogue army, camping out here in the forest, perhaps moving around to never be in one space for too long.
Living out of tents, always moving, no wonder the Alphas of the various packs had trouble finding them.
I closed my eyes, trying to feel the connection I shared with Gideon.
Instead, I was slapped clean across the face.
“Pay attention when I’m talking to you!” Daphne demanded.
I looked up at her, at the glare in her eyes and the way her face twisted as she scowled at me. Hatred burned in her eyes. I wondered if she had always hated me, if it was something that simmered over time.
She should be with Justin, her mate, right now, living the life of her dreams as a spoiled and pampered Luna. Instead, seemingly, she had chosen to camp out in the woods, casting away her old life.
Why?
Just because of me? Because of hatred? Revenge?
She seethed, glaring down at me like I was nothing.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked her.
“You know why.”
‘I don’t.” I insisted.
She sneered. “My family should be powerful, but because of you and Gideon, we are nothing. My father rots in jail. I rot in
>oredom.”
‘You are a Luna.”
‘My husband is a fool who will not obey his wife. He wants to keep me out of politics? What other kind of life is there for me nstead? I am the smartest one in that pack. I am the one who should have the power. I was so close. So close. Well, now, I’ll have my revenge.”
‘I didn’t do anything to you,” I said. “All I did was exist.”
That’s enough. But it doesn’t matter anymore. You are here, and Susanne and her mother are back in their pack. Victoria will return to the throne where she belongs and Susanne will seduce your precious Gideon like she wants. All while you are here, kneeling at my feet. Soon you will beg me for your life.”
I wasn’t going to beg her for anything. Instead, I just glared.
‘You heard me,” Daphne said. She held her hand out, and one of her lackey’s placed a knife into her hand. Her eyes still held hatred, but now a smile graced her lips, stretching them wide, She looked like she was out of her mind, standing there, the moonlight glinting off the metal of the blade. “Beg”
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Chapter 206
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I guessed that blade was silver, for her to be this confident. With my wolf revealed, nothing else would kill me.
But I still wouldn’t beg. I lifted my chin in defiance.
“You bitch!” She rushed forward, aiming for my chest. The knife hit my armor and slid away. I used Daphne’s surprise to my advantage, head–butting her. My forehead hit her nose, breaking it. She screamed as she stumbled back, blood squirting from her nose.
I tried to stand, but before I could, a mess of rogues surrounded me. They grabbed my arms, shoulders, and legs, pinning me down onto the ground flat.
Daphne wiped the blood from under her nose with the back of her arm. She gripped the knife in a white–knuckled hold.
“Hold her still. I’ll go for the throat next time.”
She raised the knife high.
I squirmed, unable to do anything more.
Someone grabbed my head, keeping it still.
Gideon!
I braced myself, my entire heart calling for my beloved.
Then, in the distance, I heard a wolf’s howl.
I recognized it at once.
It was him.
Gideon. He was here.
I checked through our bond to be sure. Yes. He was close. I could feel him now.
More howls joined in with his.
“He’s not alone,” Daphne said, paling. “Get out there. Fight them. Don’t let him win!”
Daphne waved her arm, directing the rogues. They were loyal to her family and obeyed her commands, storming out into the woods in all their numbers to give chase and to fight.
Daphne hadn’t been thinking. She couldn’t have. Else she would have realized that in sending all the troops out, she had left herself here alone.
Unguarded
With me.
I didn’t give her time to realize. Instead, I pushed to my feet and surged toward her.
She turned just as I did, stopping me from tearing out her throat with my claws, but the knife still slipped from her hands and tumbled across the floor.
In the distance, we heard the sounds of fighting, werewolves fighting werewolves in the dark.
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Chapter 206
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More closely, Daphne and I both shifted, taking swipes at each other with teeth and claw. She fought with desperation, but I was a trained warrior, proud and strong. I was one of Ivan’s best, and I wasn’t going to be brought down by anyone but another expert warrior.
Even so, my intent wasn’t to kill Daphne, merely capture her.
I pushed her back away from me, where she crashed into a tree and shifted into human again.
I shifted too, and approached her on two legs.
“Give this up, Daphne. You can’t win.”
“What do you know?!” she shouted at me. Nearby, her knife remained. She grabbed it then rushed at me.
I stepped back.
She tripped on an upturned root, mostly hidden in the dark, and fell down, down onto the ground, and onto the blade of the knife she held.
I knelt beside her, and rolled her over. But she was already dead.
Gideon’s POV
I fought for the love of my life with all that I had inside of me. This was my mate here prisoner, and I wouldn’t rest until she was back by my side.
I hated everything about this. I wanted her near me now and forever.
Grabbing hold of the mating bond inside of me, I pushed relentlessly through the enemies, killing and fighting, until finally I reached the center hold of their encampment.
There, Claire stood up from beside Daphne’s corpse.
“I didn’t mean to –” she started to say.
Like that mattered to me.
Like it mattered at all.
I rushed to her, scooped her into my arms and carried her away from this place.
Behind me, the army was fighting and winning. There was no need for us to stay.
I could only rest when I had Claire to safety. Even now, with her alive in my arms, I still struggled to contain my wolf.
She placed her hand on my cheek, turning my attention to her in the dark.
I looked at she smiled a little. She leaned in and kissed me.
I growled against her mouth, possessiveness surging in the wake of almost losing her.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“Claire…”
“I have an answer for you.”
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Chapter 206
POE
I slowed to a walk. We were far enough from the danger now, and I wanted to hear everything she said.
Even in the darkness I could see the love bright in her eyes.
“I will marry you, Gideon. I want to be yours forever. And I want you to be mine.”
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