The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 43. Guilt

Maya was crying quietly all the way down until the Lycan kingdom and Reid didn’t know what to do. She did not show it to him and neither did she sob or weep, but her eyes were red and puffy and she was wiping them with her palms every few seconds as she turned away to

stare at the window.

He never wanted a mate in the first place, never looked for one. And when he saw how

finding a mate changed his best friend Gideon, he decided to stay away from wolf mingling events and stick to the she-wolves he already knew, considering them safe options. Luckily,

there were quite a few who were always ready to keep him company.

It was supposed to be for the best. He wasn’t a family man anyway. Maybe a funny uncle

material. But this was it. He was a Beta and needed his focus on his work at all times.

Yet when he first sensed this amazing scent of almonds and something floral that evoked everything feral and primal inside of him within seconds, all his rules and self-taught mantras went to hell. He struggled for a few minutes in his car, trying to talk himself out of

going there and finding his mate. But gave in rather quickly under the pressure from his wolf, Nox, who was eager to meet their mate.

He had to see her too; had to know who she was.

And when he saw her with another man who tried to hurt her, all his instincts flared up. It was a done deal. That woman was his and he wouldn’t let anyone touch her, let alone hurt her.

He disobeyed his king’s orders for the first time ever and left Riannon behind without any

support. Before that, they planned for him to stick around with her as a representative of the Lycans on the pretence of helping her with their new law project. That would allow him to be there to protect her if needed as it was required from their positions. She was already his Luna regardless of being marked and married to some annoying werewolf Alpha.

And now his Luna was on her own.

It was her silent order, of course, to take her best friend out of this place. For some reason, she considered that more important than their initial plan and he decided to trust her instincts as Maya’s safety suddenly became of prime importance to him too.

But he knew that he would pay for this. Because Gideon trusted him what he treasured the most and he failed his Alpha and his king.

going to be okay,” he decided to try and break the ice but his mate snapped her

glared at him with the intention to kill. As

Which he wasn’t.

it slide. He could sense that his mate was using her snarky attitude to hide how worried she had been inside. And he could understand that. He liked Riannon a lot, but she was new in his life. If he had to leave Gideon in the sea full of sharks, he wouldn’t be happy too. He couldn’t

“Reid,” he stated calmly.

she spoke in a voice one would speak to a child that wasn’t bright. “Once there lived three girls and they were the best of friends. A lot of sh*t happened, some dead parents, dead siblings, boyfriends being as*holes, terrible life choices, but the three of them stuck together. Then one of

Ria,” he answered plainly, allowing her to let

she praised him,”I… I left her there! You have no idea what is going on there and

looked at him with wide eyes, “Just like you promised. It was her choice, not yours or mine. You were in a far worse situation there according to her. And I had to take her lead. Knowing Riannon, she can take care of herself. And she will not stay there

of bleeding and turned away to the window to

liquid secretion. She knew that he was right. Riannon did what she would

car in front of what looked like a modern palace. However, Maya wasn’t in the mood to admire it. And all Reid wanted was to get her inside of his room as soon as possible. Before

and he turned to face his Alpha. Gideon stared at him in disbelief and then slowly shifted his eyes to

left the pack and the kingdom. But he got calmer knowing that his Beta was with her. And now there he was.

bad.

is Riannon?”

her old pack,” his Beta replied honestly, not trying to hide the truth, “There has been a situation and she had to stay as a result. And this

care what new wh*re you picked up and where,” the lycan king was

with his rage.

snarled at him, his protective instincts taking over,

Gideon

decision and in the heat of the moment it seemed like the right

hard that it broke Reid’s nose and knocked him off his feet. He stayed on the ground, covering his face with one hand, trying to stop the blood until regeneration kicked in and knowing that he deserved that. He stayed down out of respect to

trust he broke today.

woman behind was the right decision?!” Gideon tried to hold back his fury. If he didn’t, he

got here he looked at her

works in mysterious ways,” he

somebody. They already met. He noticed her red cried

like herself but