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. 

as I hated you before you let it out. I don‘t want to say the sacred words to

up, not really knowing what he wanted to do. Kiss her? Hit her? Take her? Things were already bad and she looked

previous bond breaking. That exhausted her significantly and that poison to weaken 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 had. And the West would fall too without a ruler. What had been

grant her

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, didn‘t try to claim him and, although

first encounter, he found out everything he could about her. He went through all the old reports after his brother‘s death

bigger than his own. He started talking about his mate eagerly; sure that she would be his ticket to being appointed the

was when he decided that the stupid werewolf would die soon. Just the thought of him touching Savannah enraged him to the core. Initially, he planned to give him a slow and painful death, starting by cutting off his fingers one by one and then moving on to other... protruding parts.

2/5 

distract her. And that was something Bjorn

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

her outside of the castle that the whole thing started to worry him. He had been studying

him more confident that she was the one 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 annoying mate when she had a chance. All so she didn‘t ruin her chances with Kai. Bjorn never liked

but he knew he had to wait for the right chance, or all of his work, including his brother‘s legacy, would go to waste.

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 could feel

thing! She knew what she was

lips were almost touching hers, “but your soul will heal, and our bond will snap in its place. You will take these words back.”

taunted 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

whispered a promise into her ear. “Either way works for me. The rest is up to you!”

Her eyes closed, and for the first time, Bjorn worried that he‘d crossed the line with her. He left the room

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 and left.

door, listening to her breathe and fearing each breath would be her last until the maid arrived with two younger girls and his trusted healer.

leave. His duties

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

This was

as they both 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