The moment she was brought into his office, her scent overwhelmed him so intensely that he had to fight the urge to stumble backward. Amidst the metallic tang of blood—hers and the men’s she had fought to escape—the unmistakable aroma of coconut, vanilla, and morning dew struck him with an undeniable realization: she was his Mate.
Maddis, his wolf, was seething with rage at the sight of their Mate’s battered condition. Her body was a canvas of pain, covered in bruises and wounds. Finger-shaped marks marred her neck, evidence of someone choking her. Her once-beautiful face was bloodied and torn along the right side, with fresh blood trickling from her chin. Her blouse had ripped along the seam, exposing her right shoulder, which was streaked with deep gashes and abrasions. Blood dripped steadily down her arm, the wounds still actively bleeding. Both arms bore hand-shaped bruises darkening to a mottled purple.
Her blouse was soaked in blood—not all of it hers—with a long tear near the neckline, revealing a hint of her soft, pale skin above her chest. Beneath the fabric, hidden injuries bled unnoticed. There was a dark stain on her right hip, signaling another wound beneath her skirt. Her right stiletto and foot were coated in blood that wasn’t hers, and her knees were scraped and bloody, with gravel still embedded in her skin.
Maddis howled for vengeance. No harm was supposed to come to her. If this wasn’t harm, what could possibly qualify? Luke wrestled to restrain the feral beast within him, but the sight of her tear-streaked face—so damaged she was nearly unrecognizable—only stoked Maddis’s fury. This is your fault, Maddis snarled, clawing at Luke’s mind, attempting to inflict pain on his human counterpart.
Luke’s gaze never left her broken form as Benzy placed her in a chair before him. Her head hung low, and her body radiated defeat. She didn’t even look at him. “Look at me,” he commanded, unable to suppress the anger in his voice. He hated how harsh he sounded, especially since his frustration wasn’t directed at her but at the state she was in. He just needed to see those green eyes—eyes that had once gazed at him with warmth, tenderness, and maybe even love, though she’d never spoken the words aloud.
Her gaze finally rose to meet his, and he struggled to keep Maddis from roaring Mate aloud. His wolf was clawing to claim her then and there, and Luke bit down so hard on the instinct that he tasted his own blood.
But something was wrong—terribly wrong. There was no reaction from her to his presence, no recognition of their shared bond or their scent. An unsettling dread settled over him.
Finally, her emerald-green eyes met his, brimming with unshed tears. Maddis immediately unleashed a storm inside Luke’s mind, clawing and thrashing in a frantic urge to reach her, to comfort her, and to claim her as their own.
But for once, Luke held absolute control over his wolf. Perhaps it was because he could see the fear in her eyes—a fear directed at him. His Mate was utterly terrified of him, and he knew why. The rage and aggression radiating from Maddis were suffocating, filling the room with a heavy, oppressive energy. Calm down! Luke roared inwardly. You’re scaring her!
Her gaze lingered on him for only a fleeting moment, mere seconds at most, before dropping to the floor. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at him. This is bad. Really bad, Luke thought grimly.
Mate! Maddis bellowed, his voice wild and unrestrained in Luke’s mind. Why not know? We Mate? His anger was so consuming that even his thoughts came out fragmented.
Wolfsbane and silver. They’re suppressing her instincts, Luke replied, piecing it together.
Tyler? Maddis demanded, referring to her wolf.
Disconnected, Luke realized. Until the wolfsbane clears her system and the silver cuffs are removed, she won’t recognize us as her Mate.
Get cuffs off! Maddis snarled furiously, enraged that their bond was being stifled by the restraints.
Before Luke could act, the office door swung open with such force that it slammed against the wall, drawing his attention from Bella—his Second Chance Mate—to his father, the former Alpha.
“There’s trouble, son,” Tomas announced urgently. “Your mother just recorded this.”
Luke barely had time to process his father’s words before Bella darted toward Tomas, collapsing onto her knees before him. The movement was agonizingly painful—he could see it etched across her face—but she endured it, bowing low and pleading for her life.
The sight tore at Luke’s heart. She thought he was going to kill her. Tears streamed from her beautiful green eyes as she begged Tomas for mercy, her voice trembling with desperation.
Then her words struck Luke like a blow: “Please, I have three children, a family.”
Luke’s fury was momentarily replaced by cold dread. She already had a mate. A family. Was that why she didn’t recognize him as her Mate?
No, Maddis whimpered, his anguish bleeding into his rage. A guttural growl erupted from him as his thoughts shifted darkly. She’s ours. Tyler is ours. No one else will have her. Only us.
Luke clenched his fists as Maddis’s anger surged anew at the mere thought of another man touching their Mate. We’ll mark over him. Claim her now! Maddis roared, his possessiveness blinding.
Luke turned to see Tomas using his mind-sight, a gift from the goddess, to verify her words. She didn’t hesitate or falter—she was telling the truth. Tomas’s reaction only deepened Luke’s horror as he watched Bella bow so low that her forehead touched the floor. She begged his father not to let her children grow up motherless.
“Get her up!” Maddis’s roar echoed through Luke’s mind, his fury rekindled. Watching her take such a submissive position before anyone, even Tomas, was unbearable. This was his Mate—the future Luna of their pack. She should never be so broken, so vulnerable.
