The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 49. Live Our Lives

Brayden did not let her go. If anything, now he clenched her towards himself tighter in a useless hope that he had misheard the Lycan king right now.

But when Gideon stood up and moved in their direction, he knew that he had lost. He had just lost everything.

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” the lycan looked at him with a challenge in his eyes, “You need to step away from my mate. Now.”

The silence in the room was long and awkward but after a while Brayden unclenched his fingers and Riannon stepped away. Gideon did not waste any time and pulled her towards him. Rubbing her arm where her ex-husband was just holding her.

“Ria, did he hurt you?” he asked in a fake-sweet tone, and Riannon knew that if they did not want the bloodshed, she’d better shake her head and deny everything. He waited for them to be together for too long and his patience had its limits too.

“No, I am fine,” she said and her mate brushed his palm over her beautiful face, enjoying the tingles that the touch created. He could stay this way forever, but a sound of laughter distracted him.

It was cold and unnatural laughter on the verge of madness.

“Are you kidding me?!” Brayden rubbed his eyes and threw his head back, trying to calm down. Too many eyes were on him now and he needed to get the situation back in control.

It was bad. He was losing his wife and at least half of his pack. No one would ever look at him in the same way again. No one would let him ever forget what happened here today. So, he had to act and he had to act fast.

“So, was this the plan all along?” he scoffed, “This is how the lycans now try to get our lands? You don’t want war, so you are just going to marry daughters of Alphas and grab their packs in the process?”

Neither Ria nor Gideon liked what he was implying now. And some of the alphas in the room became visibly more anxious. In the end, the territory was one thing they were all ready to fight for. Always.

“Can’t you see what he’s doing right now?” Brayden continued, “He is using my wife to weaken me and to expand his Kingdom! I’m sure that he’s not even your mate, Riannon! Are you sure that this is not some kind of witchery? You two met before and neither of you seemed to be shouting that you were mates.”

“You’d better shut up about it now,” Gideon growled, “before you say something that

Ria knew exactly what kind of game her now ex-husband was playing, so she placed her palm on the king’s chest. The gesture immediately calmed him down. Their eyes met just for a

“It may come as a surprise to you,” she started speaking softly, but it was only pretence, “but some people know how to control their wolves and their urges. It requires tremendous willpower that you clearly do not possess considering the situation we are in now, but it can still be done. We simply controlled ourselves and behaved like people and not animals. Out of respect for you and our marriage in the first place. You should try that sometimes. And as for my lands, they will always remain mine. Gideon has enough of his own. He doesn’t need to take anything from his woman other than love.”

she knew it. After all, their packs were merged through marriage. This

cord today. It had to

as for proof of us being mates, not that we owe you anything,” she continued, “I think the fact

where she used to have scars left by his canines. It was there before, only that he

mouth parted slightly. His eyes were filled with pain now and for the first time, she felt sorry for doing this to him. But then she remembered how he sunk his canines into Roxy’s neck right in front of her. Mere minutes after he denounced her as his Luna in front of the pack.

months and months of struggle, she was finally free from that feeling that was eating her up from the inside. This was when she was going to leave quietly, knowing that there were places where she would be accepted. But it wasn’t destined to be this way and she never managed to leave her pack. Maybe because it was her destiny to get it back

tried to find the mark that she left on him. Two small scars were still

are,” Riannon sighed, “I did not want to do

trouble if

her, stretching his hand in her direction but

her mouth and

He was already pale prior to all that, but now he looked as if he was about to collapse. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He kept standing, but it was obvious that

now with

all that Riannon said to him, “And

planned to do it. But it was too late now since

The room became silent.

stood up, “how about we take

smirked at him, playing with her hair, “I haven’t been to

an hour,” Gideon said, taking Riannon’s hand and bumping Brayden’s shoulder with his as

behind him, not caring where they went and as soon as they made a turn, he immediately slammed her back over the wall and placed his hands on both sides of

dug into her hair, and she moaned softly when he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She missed him. Even more than

muttered as he peppered her neck

place. And…”

belt of her blazer, and sliding his hands underneath it to feel

appreciate it more.

with Alphas who can hear everything. My ex included. Don’t prove him right and don’t give him control over the narrative of

stopped, still breathing heavily into the column of

just claimed that we can control ourselves,”