The sickened luna’s last chance

he mark certainly looked real.

I turned my head to the side, pulling my hair away to get a better view in the mirror. Lilith had done an excellent job on the makeup. The two crescent–shaped marks on my neck, meant to mimic the impression of Alexander’s upper and lower fangs, looked like they’d been there for years.

She’d even added a subtle texture to make them appear slightly raised, like real bite marks would be.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was looking at a genuine mating mark.

But the sight made a bitter and hollow feeling curl in my chest.

This was what I should have had five years ago. This was what should have happened on our wedding night, when Alexander took me back to our honeymoon suite and claimed me as his. He should have sunk his teeth into my neck as we made love for the first time, completing the bond that fate had started.

Instead, he had simply walked me to the door of the guest bedroom all the way on the opposite end of the mansion, muttered a curt “goodnight,” and left me standing alone on my wedding night, confused and humiliated.

irs later, and here I was with a fake mark, getting ready to fool the world. To pretend, once again, that my marriage wasn’t a ete sham.

Iwas supposed to be getting dressed for dinner. Alexander had arranged for us to eat at the most visible, public restaurant in town -a place where we were guaranteed to be seen and photographed.

It was the perfect venue to show off my “mark” and quell the rumors.

But I couldn’t stop staring at my reflection. At the mark that wasn’t real. At the symbol of everything I’d been denied.

Fated mates were supposed to be sacred in our world. A fated mate was the ultimate gift from the Moon Goddess. Wolves spent their entire lives searching for their mates, praying to find that one person who was destined for them and spend the rest of their lives together.

And here I was, mated to an Alpha who couldn’t even bring himself to complete our bond.

What was wrong with me? Why was I not good enough for him?

I knew Alexander wasn’t gay, not after what had happened in the alley behind the bar. Not after I’d felt his hardness pressed against me. He was attracted to women. He was even attracted to me, at least physically.

So why did he keep his distance? Why act like the very thought of making love to me and marking me was the worst thing that could happen?

Was that repulsive to him? That unworthy? Was there someone else–Sophia, perhaps?

from the mirror id wallowed enough for one evening. Alexander

dress I’d chosen for tanight; it was a deep burgundy number with a low neckline

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16:34 Fri, 22 Aug

Chapter 56.

look almost luminous, which made the fake

see exactly what Alexander wanted them

finishing touches on my makeup when a knock sounded

59%

Are you ready?” Alexander’s voice called through the wood. “We need to leave soon if we’re going to

clutch and giving myself

and poised–like a proper Luna with her mate’s mark on her neck.

to find Alexander waiting in the hallway, dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit that made his red hair look even more vibrant by contrast. He looked devastatingly handsome, and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be

face, but it

convincing,” he said calmly.

be able to

awkward silence fell between us. There was so much I wanted to say, to ask. Why won’t you just mark me for real?

I said none of it. Instead, I said curtly,

walked together to the car waiting

while later, I wasn’t surprised at all to see a crowd gathered outside. Alexander had made certain that our dinner plans

driver parked the car out front, and Alexander turned to

15)

want to go out there, to be scrutinized and photographed, to have my fake mark on display like another fucking humiliation. But what choice did I

I nodded.

around to open my door. The moment it

Is it true you’ve

Alexandert Did you

“Were the rumors false?”