Chapter 121: Message Received

ARIEL

“My queen,” a voice says, cutting through the darkness. “My queen, are you all right?”

I open my eyes and see Matt’s concerned face hovering above mine.

I feel the rubberized training floor beneath my back.

~Shit. I must have passed out.~

You’d think after all the visions I’ve received from the Moon Goddess, I’d be able to keep both feet firmly planted on the ground.

But no…

“I’m fine,” I say, brushing myself off. “I guess I’m just in shock.”

Matt reaches out his hand to help me off of the ground.

I grab it, but the moment my palm touches his, I feel a surge of electricity coursing through my body.

He rips his arm back. He must have felt it, too.

Because of our mating bond, a single touch can light my body on fire.

I manage to push myself up off the floor without his help, but my head is still spinning.

Selene’s words echo through my mind again.

~You have to mend what is broken.~

I’m desperate to find out more about Matt and how I can heal him, but I suddenly get the feeling that someone is standing directly behind me.

I whip around and find Jo standing at attention.

Jo has become one of our most respected warriors. Standing at just five feet tall, she seems far from the tough, badass fighter she actually is. That’s why she specializes in stealth operations.

“Captain,” she says, addressing me by my warrior title instead of my royal one. “Is the new guy bothering you? ’Cause I can make him run a few hundred laps just for the hell of it.”

“No, Jo, everything is fine,” I say. “I’m just going to take Matt for a walk around the grounds. I want to get to know our new recruit a little better.”

The last thing I need is the whole pack knowing about my new mating bond. I need to talk to Matt in private.

I move toward the door of the arena, but turn around when I realize that Matt isn’t following after me.

“Come on,” I say to him. “I don’t bite. At least not in my human form.”

I flash him a grin, trying to bring an ounce of lightness to this entirely confusing situation.

Matt follows after me, but I can detect reluctance in each and every step.

We exit the barracks and walk in awkward, uneasy silence through the gardens.

I approach a gazebo and take a seat on a bench facing the palace. He sits down on the other side of it.

Alone with him, I can feel the intensity of our mating bond even stronger now.

There is no mistaking that Fate has tied us together.

My mind wanders back to the first time I felt this mating pull…the fateful day when I returned from the Hunters’ clutches and saw Xavier again.

The sensation was so overpowering that I attacked Natalia when she was pregnant with baby Xavi.

Wolves are only supposed to feel this pull one time in their lives…

~I guess this is what I get for messing with Fate…~

It’s hard to ignore the desire to slide closer to Matt. To hold his hand in mine. To—

~But no.~

~My heart belongs to Alex.~

~And I would never do anything to hurt him.~

I need to figure out how I can repair Matt’s heart, appease the Moon Goddess, and break this stupid mating bond once and for all.

“Listen, my queen,” Matt says suddenly, pulling me back into the present moment.

“Call me Ariel,” I say.

“Ariel,” he continues.

“I came to the Royal Pack to serve as a faithful warrior and live a quiet life. I have no desire to cause friction inside the palace walls. So please, just reject me right now. I have endured great pain before.”

One look into Matt’s eyes and I can see that he is telling the truth. They carry that distinct heaviness, that solemn surrender of a broken heart.

“Are you in love with someone else?” I ask him.

He nods, his expression darkening. My question clearly touched a nerve.

“Does she not love you?” I ask.

Matt averts his gaze, narrowing his eyes on the ground below us.

“She loves me too,” he says.

Excitement begins to grow in my chest. Matt loves someone and she loves him back.

“What’s the problem then?” I ask. “Why aren’t you together?”

“It is…complicated,” he says.

“But love makes everything simple!” I exclaim.

“You do not understand,” Matt replies. “Our families are mortal enemies. Some fractures are too ancient. Some wounds are too deep…”

~Oh Goddess…~

~This guy talks more like a poet than a warrior…~

“Well,” I said assuredly, “you have me on your side now. I’ll reject you, but only when I know that you’ll be happily mated to the woman you love.”

Matt’s expression hardens. “Why waste your time helping a common warrior? Just hurt me. I deserve to feel the pain.”

His words are like knives straight to my heart. Our wolves are connected, and mine can’t stand to hear him say such horrible things.

Suddenly, I realize that my mission is not just to repair his broken relationship, but also to heal his broken spirit.

The scar on his brow is just the tip of the iceberg—just a hint at the trauma this man has clearly been through.

I will do whatever I can to help piece him back together.

But before I get started on the Goddess’s mission, there’s something I must do. And it is ~not~ going to be easy.

***

I approach Alex’s office door and knock gently three times…our private code:

~I. Love. You.~

When I saw Alex just an hour ago, we were feeling so optimistic. So peaceful.

It seemed, for an instant, like everything was exactly as it should be.

But then, I met Matt and my whole world got turned upside down.

Now suddenly, I have a new mating bond. And I can’t break it until I abide by the Moon Goddess’s wishes.

“Come in,” I hear him say.

I walk in and my mate flashes me a huge smile.

“Ariel,” he says, “how was training?”

My heart breaks, knowing what I’m about to tell him…and knowing that his big smile is about to disappear.