Page 45 of Wolf’s Fated Bride

My parents united around the cause to keep me here. Maybe they’ll find each other attractive again during the fire moon. I’ll have Ash to thank for that.

“May I be excused now?” I ask.

“You may,” Ash says before my father does.

As I stand, I lean across the table. “I didn’t ask for your permission.”

“Not yet.”

Frustrated, I growl at him. “You’re not my alpha.”

“Is that a challenge?”

Yes is on the tip of my tongue. But I shut the fuck up, because challenging an alpha ends only one way: under him. Knotted and forced into submission during heat.

The image of him in my nest comes immediately, my heat betraying me and guiding my dirty thoughts. I can’t fight my biology, but I can fight for my dignity. I storm away from the table before my parents can scent how I really feel about this infuriating wolf.

Chapter 18

Runa

Tonight is the fire moon.

Most omegas nest the day before the full moon. The alpha males spend this day bringing food into the nest. Once night falls, the couples sate their sexual appetites, forgoing all else. Those who are not in heat run in packs, eat, drink, and celebrate together.

The storm changed our plans. But the Moon is steadfast.

Omega heat is an intense period that peaks during the night of the full moon, when our bodies produce a burning liquid until either our eggs take seed or the eggs are shed, and we bleed immediately after.

Some heats are more intense than others. With the Fireborn Alpha present in the pack during the fire moon, our heats will be intense and, for lack of a better word, fiery.

With the exception of my sister.

Maren’s eyes remain blue. The absence of the hazel omega color means she won’t go into heat. She has no need to nest. If she were going to go into heat, we’d see it by now, and her eyes would remain hazel during the night of the full moon.

Maren refused a fire wolf and intended to take her beloved human, whose seed, perhaps even his stamina, might not be enough to sate her. Ever. But I have no experience with human men, only with male wolves, so I’m speculating based on our biological differences.

We and humans are the same, but different. For my sister’s sake, I hope Sven services her the way she most needs, even if she’s not technically in heat.

Which raises the question… “How are we going to bring Sven here without anyone noticing it’s him and not the Fireborn Alpha?” And what’s Ash going to be doing while he’s supposed to be servicing my sister?

Maren cups my face. “What’s wrong?”

“Ash Fireborn.”

She huffs. “I know. That firehole should’ve stayed in his territory and never come here.” Maren arranges pillows on top of the many throws and blankets in the corner of our bedroom.

I kneel opposite her to help with the plush toys. She has a massive pink bear she drags into her nest every moon. When the pain of being unmated and not being allowed to be serviced during the heat of the moon becomes unbearable, Maren bites chew toys. “He plans to take you and Sven with him, where you will be free to live or leave.”

“That is…” Maren pauses. “Nice of him. I didn’t expect him to be understanding. Or kind. Why do you think he’s doing this?”

“I don’t know. Everyone told us he was a mean, territorial killer. Did you know he lost his sister before the war? That someone killed her, and he started a war because of that?”

“No.” Maren shakes her head. “That’s not what happened. I thought the Fireborn Alpha was an only child.”

“Is he?”

Maren frowns. “As far as I know.”