The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 71. Mind Games.

Gideon was following the scent of the fox king, wishing for nothing more than tearing his head off. This would solve most of his problems, as the sly bastard was the brain behind everything and eliminating him would be crucial for the victory.

He sped up, letting Mars take the control. Soon they saw the red blur ahead of them. Castiel’s scent was evident. And they didn’t hesitate to charge at the fox, knocking him off his feet. His beast was huge, but not a match for a lycan wolf. Gideon would have overpowered him easily if not for the two bears that joined his enemy. Those were extremely big and aggressive. So, it took him a bit longer to rip their necks off. And now two things worried him. First, he did not see the girl that Castiel took hostage anywhere close. And second, they were watching the area and these two bears came out of nowhere.

It was a bad sign. Very bad. The fox started running again but he managed to catch up with him and dig his canines

into his side to make him stop. The red beast whimpered and in no time the lycan king

managed to submit him. A few slashes of sharp claws here and there and the fox under him

whimpered from pain, shifting back into his human form.

And this was when Gideon snarled in anger.

Before him was a young man in his twenties with red curly hair who was trembling in

horror.

It wasn’t Castiel. It wasn’t the fox king. “What the hell?!” Gideon gritted his teeth, talking to his wolf. “How did this happen?!”

“We’ve been tricked,” Mars was furious. “He has the king’s scent on him! It’s identical! The foxes are the only ones who can do this type of thing!”

He was angry at himself for falling for this. Of course, he shouldn’t have relied on the scent when dealing with this sly kind…

“Reid,” he called his Beta via the mind link, “I lost the king. Anything from your side?”

“We got the whole group and I just sent them to the dungeons of your Queen’s pack,” his friend replied.

“Good. Keep your eyes open. Don’t trust the scents too much.” Gideon told him and then tried to connect to his mate, “Riannon.”

She did not reply and he got tense. It wasn’t that far. He was supposed to feel her. And now, trying to sense his bond, he couldn’t.

“Riannon!” he called again and again, only to get no reply. Two of his warriors

“Reid! Do you see Riannon?” he asked while taking a huge leap.

“No,” the reply echoed through his ears, and now he was really worried.

“Can you connect to your mate?” the lycan king still tried thinking rationally.

“No, I haven’t marked her yet…” Reid sounded apologetic. “But I am going there now. If I find out anything…”

“Good,” Gideon stopped him.

good. He couldn’t

and started following it. It led him to a small ravine and

lungs and it made the

cover their tracks. The foxes copied her scent and left it all over this part of the woods, so it

the worst thing was that to copy her scent, they had to have her… Just how did

running all over the forest trying to

of his mate. Desperate, angry,

don’t feel her anywhere nearby,” Mars told him, “We are wasting our

true and Gideon knew this. He raced back to the packhouse, where everyone was already waiting for him with stern faces,

gritted teeth

Maya, who did not look great,

am taking her into the infirmary,” his Beta told him, covering her with

defend her.

happened?” he still insisted. “Where is Riannon? Who saw her last?” “I did,” Maya lowered her

next.

and growled loudly, making Reid step in front of his mate. But she pushed him away carefully and looked the lycan king in the

I thought I saw her,” she said firmly, taking the responsibility. “I felt my Alpha’s presence during

Gideon’s breathing fastened. This was the worst thing that he could ever imagine. His beautiful Ria was in his enemy’s hands. “How

was holding her in his arms. I was in the middle of the battle and couldn’t do anything. By the time I won, they were gone, and her scent was all over the

heavily bleeding but still searching for

protect her, which

Gideon narrowed his eyes at the girl,

and clear. “Roxanne the fake mate?” he snarled. “You went for her

that right?!”

my king.” She acknowledged his title for the first time since they had known

help you but because of that got captured!” Mars was trying to get out. For a lycan wolf of his rank, he wanted to punish the

with himself

She made a mistake! It happens…”

cost me my queen!” the king roared, not

under her

not hurt her. Not with the current situation. But we need to find her as soon as possible. Luckily, we got many captives today. And Roxy is one of them. She sure as hell

information for us.”

of them, growling, “I expect you two in the

within one hour!”

***

few times as she tried to adjust to the    Mind Games unfamiliar and for a few seconds, she thought that maybe Gideon took her back to his mansion. Maybe it was a surprise and he prepared a