The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 54 

“That‘s your real scent,” Savannah whispered, and Bjorn nodded, confirming her guess. He leaned closer to her, brushing his palm over her cheek. She flinched away, and the motion disgruntled him, although he tried not to show it. 

Her skin felt so smooth to his touch. Like the petals of a most delicate flower. He couldn‘t get enough of the sensations when he touched her. He hoped that by now, she would say the one and only word he had longed to hear from her lips for so long. Mate. 

“Yes, Savannah. This is my real scent. The one I barely use anymore. I didn‘t even let you smell it the few times we met, although I knew at once you were mine.” He tried to be patient with her. He knew he had already overstepped too many boundaries to push her now. She looked so weak, felt so broken... Maybe he should have left her sister–in–law alive as a little consolation gift for Savannah. He could dispose of that woman‘s baby later and pretend it was an accident. That little gift could have made the transition easier for his mate. 

Although he remembered very well how dangerous Riannon Stormhold was. She alone was the sole reason for his brother‘s demise. That sealed her fate. 

Savannah stayed silent, and he took it as a sign of her wishing to know more. 

“When I ran in the forest back then, I was going to kill the wolf who witnessed me in lycans‘ territory. This was what I always did. Kill, destroy and get rid of the body.” He was so calm that Savvy felt beads of sweat forming on her skin. “If it was anyone else but you, they would be dead. But it was enough for me to inhale a drop of your scent, and everything 

changed. All my plans went to chaos.” 

“Didn‘t you call me Kai‘s toy?” she reminded him, and a smile reached his lips. At least she was talking to him. This was some kind of progress for them. He was sure that, over time, she would give up and accept him. She simply had to and he couldn‘t wait. 

“I was a bit frustrated at first,” he confessed. “I wasn‘t looking for a mate, I didn‘t think I would ever get another. And it took me a few seconds to realise what was going on. How you affected me. Who you were to me.” 

“And what happened to your first mate?” Savannah asked, ignoring his confession. She looked so pale that he knew she‘d faint again soon. Now that she was here, there was no rush anymore. He could take his time with her. 

“That‘s a story for another day,” Bjorn dodged that subject. “Today I want to speak about us.” He took her hands into his again and realised they were cold and limp as if life was slipping out of his mate. 

“You think we have a future?” Savannah asked weakly, her eyelids too heavy again. “Of course we do,” he didn‘t hesitate to respond. 

“Good,” the Princess‘ lips curled into a smile, and the bear‘s heart skipped a beat. She had never smiled at him before. He should have released his true scent long ago just for this 

alone. He was about to say something when something changed in her face. That beautiful smile of hers turned into a sneer as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Very good,” she added, “ because that means I can hurt you the way you hurt me. Although that‘s unlikely. You hurt me so much that unless I destroy what you love the most, you will never understand. But even this is good.” 

“What are you talking about?” Bjorn released her hands, anger and disappointment burning in his chest. 

I hated you before you let it out. I

shoulders and lifted her up, not really knowing what he wanted to do. Kiss her? Hit her? Take her? Things were

her didn‘t seem to be such a good idea now. If she died, it wouldn‘t change any of his plans. He would still take the North. He already

that was what she wanted, he wasn‘t going to grant her this wish. Time would pass and she would give

or at least reject her on the spot to avoid the pain. However, as soon as he met Savannah, he couldn‘t do it. She didn‘t recognise him,

found out everything he could about her. He went through all the old reports after his brother‘s death and realised that she was mated to another. Moreover, that

yet Zack had an ego bigger than his own. He started talking about his mate eagerly; sure that she would be his ticket to being appointed the King of The West when they were done with the current rulers. Little did that pup know that this

him a slow and painful death, starting by cutting off his fingers one by one and then moving on to other... protruding parts. However, this was when Zack mentioned the little game he played with his mate to remind her of him. As long as they had this bond, he

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influence her, distract her. And that was something Bjorn

join The Luna Trials to compete for the Northern Crown. There was no love lost between her and the king, he was sure of that. Nevertheless, he wanted to take extra precautions and he couldn‘t do it himself since they hadn‘t had a chance to mate yet. Not

normal at the Luna Trials. It was when he realised that Kai was taking her outside of the castle that the whole thing started to worry him. He had been studying Kai for years and he knew what that place meant to him. He would never bring a simple contender there. And when he watched them both from the opposite mountain, gazing

for him. She was his second chance mate, and she would feel this too the moment Zack died. However, things only got worse and worse from there. She wasn‘t thinking of him; she ignored his gifts and did not kill her

he knew he had to wait for the right chance, or all of his work, including

off in the end. All of his enemies were dead, and she was with him now. Except that her eyes were cold, her lips were pale, and she despised him. He

what she was doing

hers, “but your

him, almost laughing, although her tiny delicate body was shivering in his arms, “I will reject you. There is no future in which you and I live happily ever

after,” he pulled her closer and whispered a promise into her

her left to fight it. Her eyes closed, and for the first time, Bjorn worried that he‘d crossed

a healer and clean her up! She needs to eat, and she needs detoxifying. The healer will know what to do!”

course, my King,” the older woman bowed respectfully

himself standing at her door, listening to her breathe and fearing each breath would be her last until the maid

leave. His duties couldn‘t wait any longer.

I get back, she‘d better look much healthier than now!” He barked at the group. “If she gets worse,

him in silence. This was just how he preferred it. They knew what the

looked at the flames destroying the Royal Northern Castle. It was a sad sight, and he wasn‘t sure what to do next. They had just been majorly outplayed by that werebear. His sister was gone, and he knew very well where to look for her, but